Mediaboss Marketing

The sports and fitness industry is a healthy sector that is also experiencing some major changes. There are new playing fields and new challenges that require new marketing and communications strategies. But how marketing and communications are changing for the sports and fitness industry? Here are the 10 hottest topics that professionals need to know about.

The interest in sport and fitness has been on the rise for several years, with no hint at stopping, in all areas of the world.Cities are filled with crowded gyms and swimming pools, with people jogging, cycling, or participating in some form of exercise or as an audience to an increasingly wide and diverse range of sporting events.In this sector, the digital world is also rapidly expanding with dedicated apps, wearable networked devices, and a growing space on social networks, forums, influencers, and then the first experiments in virtual or augmented reality. Moreover, sports today has a more diversified audienceby gender, interests, and age groupsthan ever before.

But lets go beyond pure impressions and look at some data.

The majority of indicators in this sector will confirm this trend. Thats not all: this growth is associated with a great turmoil, a period of dramatic change in the sector, which started a few years ago and will continue to bear fruit for a very long time. It is a permanent revolution that has been triggered, above all, by the advent of digital.

In short: those who deal with marketing and communications in the sector must start from this awareness, to turn these challenges into opportunities. In this post, we will identify 10 hot topics influencing the sports sector, points of reference that every good marketer should keep in mind.

Lets start our overview from this awareness: the advent of digital, with Digital Transformation, has revolutionized the marketing of all sectors. The sports sector is no exception.

This points to the growing importance of AdSense, indexing and SEO, data collection and analysis, online shops, fitness apps, but also wearable devices, social networks, influencers, and eSports.

This is not a complete list, and some of these topics will be discussed in the following points. However, lets focus on this point: marketing in the sports sector today means digital marketing. And it will be more and more so.

Another consequence of digital is the loss of meaning of many traditional boundaries. For example, Italian soccer is no longer seen only in Italy (but increasingly in Asia, for example). The American NFL championship has more and more fans in Europe, the NBA is gaining an increasing number of fans in India and so on.

There are many examples; whats important is to learn how to deal with this varied and globalized target. Knowing how to intercept it, with actions as tailor-made as possible, means being able to seize huge opportunities.

As we mentioned above, in sports, the audience is increasingly diverse. In this sense, the most conspicuous novelty is the growth of female fans.

For decades, the sports industry revolved almost entirely around a male target, but this is no longer the case. All of the brands in the sector have noticed this (check out the She Moves Mountains campaign by North Face, for example).

There is no digital marketing and communication without social media marketing, and this is all the more so for sports brands.

In fact, social media is often the first point of contact between brand and customer; it is one of the most important places where the voice, identity, recognition, and reputation of companies in the sector are formed. This is where most of the engagement is played out. But they are also channels in which a slip can be amplified in an uncontrolled and dangerous way.

Furthermore, social is the ecosystem where large and small influencers move, which have become central to the world of sport and fitness.

In short, the field of social networks in the Sport Industry, alone, could deserve an in-depth post of its own. Stay tuned.

If we take an in-depth look at the digital revolution, we can see that it translates above all into a huge and unprecedented availability of data, which has become the real treasure of companies and marketers alike.

But why is data so fundamental? For a very simple reason: data allows you to get to know your audience, in its varied composition: characteristics, recurring behaviors, the customer journey, habits, preferences, potential desires.

We have seen above how the target of the Sport Industry is increasingly diversified: thats why data analysis, in this sector, is even more valuable than for others.However, its not enough to collect a huge amount of data; you need to know how to interpret the data in the most profound, intelligent and functional way.

The real point of arrival, in this sense, is personalized marketing, with its perspective of one-to-one dialog.

Lets get more specific.Smartphone owners across the world number about 3.5 billion (source). In 2018, mobile traffic was 52.2% of the total. Daily mobile internet usage has increased by 504% since 2011 (source).

For marketers, this means only one thing: digital marketing strategies must be as omnichannel as possible, and must be designed from mobile.

Heres a significant figure, coming directly from Google: the average smartphone user spends 50 minutes on apps dedicated to the world of sport and fitness (source).

According to a recent survey, sales of wearable products will reach $95 million by 2021. We are talking about wearable digital devices, such as smartwatches, smart clothing, pedometers, and other devices designed specifically for the sports sector, for training, or more generally, for health.

Needless to say, here too there are interesting (and innovative) marketing opportunities, as well as data collection, in an increasingly personalized perspective.

The big brands in the sector are moving decisively in this direction. One example is Nike, with its smart shoes (see here for more details).

eSports are the electronic sports, such as competitive video games. This is a sector that is in powerful growth, a market segment of one and a half billion dollars, with a number of fans that, by 2021, will exceed 250 million (source). Even more importantly, these are mainly young people.

This is a trend to keep in mind, with enormous marketing potential.

No, lets not talk science fiction. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are gaining more and more space in sports marketing and communication, also because of the reduction of their costs.

A concrete example of application? The possibility to virtually try on basketball shoes, before purchasing them, with the help of smart glasses, or even a simple smartphone.

Needless to say, the potential in this field has yet to be explored.

In the previous point, we addressed the frontiers of marketing in the sector. But there is a word that is becoming increasingly important. We are talking about the responsibility that a company must show that it has on a social, environmental, and ethical level.

It is customers themselves who are asking for it. According to a study conducted by Nielsen, as many as 66% of consumers are ready to pay even more to reward those brands that are committed to having a positive social and environmental impact. Clearly, this responsibility must also be communicated in the right way!

So: more and more digital, an increasingly diverse audience, ever more accurate personalization.These are the areas where companies in the Sports industry will face their biggest challenges and opportunities.

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How marketing and communications are changing for the sports industry - Doxee

The Drum has pulled together an evolving resource for freelancers looking for jobs, support, training and information as the coronavirus cuts into projects.

Last in, first out the adage sadly goes, and never was it truer than for the modern creative freelancer in times when budgets are cut.

This week, the coronavirus pandemic has seen a swathe of marketing campaigns paused or axed entirely, and the trend is likely to continue as more and more clients in retail, entertainment and hospitality stop trading. In advertising, 65% of execs expect the crisis to lead to layoffs in their company, according to research from Fishbowl.

This adds multiple layers of uncertainty to freelancers weekly forecasts: will there be work? When will there be work? How can I plan for the financial year when no-one else can? Will my clients business fold before they can pay me before last month?

We are facing an unprecedented time with unknowable outcomes, said Nancy Van Brunt, head of talent success at Upwork. Companies might be shifting their strategies and reprioritizing the projects currently on their roadmaps, but they are still in need of support.

If youre a freelancer whos found themselves sitting on a cancelled project, Van Brunt advises updating your portfolios and social profiles to highlight how you can help clients through this time with your specific skill sets and experience before reaching out to past clients with ideas.

Then, after hunting down any missing invoices, take the time to update your skill set, find a support network and start looking for new work.

The majority of agencies told The Drum they are currently focusing on their internal resources for now. However, a number are still open for new recruits.

VidMob, the creative technology company, is hiring creative directors, video editors, motion graphics designers, 3D modelers and animators to develop digital/social ads for leading brands. The company offers clients a virtual creative workforce that is encouraged to work from home all year round. Send a message to this email if interested.

Digital marketing agency Croud is hiring across its Croudie Network. This community is made up of more than on-demand 2,400 digital experts who enable Croud to service clients in real time 24 hours a day, in 118 markets and in 86 languages. Needed expertise covers SEO, PPC, paid social, programmatic, content, creative and analytics. Click here for more information on joining.

Indie digital studio TheSoul Publishing is hiring for a variety of positions across a number of markets, including a creative writer and a senior account executive slated to work on brand partnerships. Its stable includes brands such as Bright Side, Frankenfood and Slick Slime Sam. Head to its LinkedIn page to apply..

AKQA is taking a business as usual approach and hiring for no less than 125 roles in its New York Studio alone. Freelance gigs are also up for grabs. Applicants should go through its recruitment page here.

Grey is still directing candidates to apply for open positions on its LinkedIn page. Freelance support is still on its roadmap, however those that get the call-up will likely have worked with staff executive creative directors before. A spokesperson said the agency is unlikely to hire new freelance staff until its building reopens.

Santa Monicas RPA currently has more than 40 open positions open in media, account management, analytics and digital. A spokesperson said it will potentially be hiring some freelancers in the future, too. Its jobs board is here.

AnalogFolk is still hiring for both permanent and freelance roles, particularly in tech, UX and UI Design. Its job board is here, and anyone interested in temporary work should message Peter Davenport.

Strategic marketing consultancy SalientMG is currently looking for freelance writers and an editor in the US. The latter will oversee all its executive thought leadership programs and manage the team of writers charged with producing content on sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, edtech, martech, adtech and data. Chief executive Mack McKelvey is ideally looking for copywriters with editorial experience. Contact her here.

Blend Media, a marketplace for immersive tech creators, has a number of live projects open on its platform. It's primarily after freelancers working in the immersive tech space, such as AR and VR creators and developers. The company will also be waiving all platform fees over the coming months to support developers.

Atlanta-based We Are Rosie has built a network of more than 5,000 marketing consultants and is still accepting new freelancers throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Most work is undertaken remotely, projects typically range from 20-40 hours per week, and a 401k, full healthcare benefits and weekly pay are offered to its working consultants in the US.

Assemble, which runs a similar networked model rooted in video production, is also encouraging new creatives to join and promises new client work is still rolling in. Wethos, a freelance platform that connects nonprofits with skilled professionals, is open for new talent too.

Mt Freelance is an online, four-level video course created by Andrew Dickson and Aaron James, two former Wieden+Kennedy creatives now working as successful freelancers. This week, theyve made their first level free to all who are new to freelancing or want to audit their approach. Its a 50-minute introduction of nine videos worth $257.

Adobe Creative Cloud is extending its renewal grace period to 60 days for customers using its Value Incentive Plan, as well as offering free at-home access to students and teachers. Someones also found another discount hack and is passing it around the online freelance community more details here.

Zwolf Strategy founder Heidi Hackemer has launched the Strategy Supper Club a series of intimate online classes. The idea stemmed from her belief that so much [brand strategy] training has gone out the window or is reductive. The sessions are free but shes collecting donations for local food banks as part of the program. More information can be found here.

Marc Lewis, founder and dean of the School of Communication Arts, has created a virtual studio for his students to work in while coronavirus hits south London. It features digital tables, whiteboards and even a Deans office. The technology works so well that hes offering up the platform to freelancers who are interested in running a webinar mentor class. These sessions will be ticketed, and the money raised will go directly to the presenter. Those interested can sign up through a short survey here.

Members of mentorship app Fellow are taking advantage of social quarantine by organizing an online junior creative book review via Google Sheets. Nearly 300 portfolios have been posted so far, but many are still in need of review.

Format is an online portfolio platform thats launched a $25,000 fund for freelance photographers and visual artists who have lost work off the back of the pandemic and are likely to struggle financially. Its offering assistance of up to $500 per person but is looking to partner with other companies to increase the total amount. You can find the application form here.

Chicago-based out-of-home art agency Muros has launched #MakeWithMuros, a campaign that provides artists with a platform while theyre prevented from taking to city walls. Muros will be spotlighting an artist a day on its Instagram page for 30 days paying them to create a piece and helping them sell it afterwards. There is no restriction on medium, a spokesperson said Muros will accept canvas, sketch, digital, animation, play dough, cleverly arranged refrigerator magnets ... The only requirement is that it spreads joy.

Created by former MTV marketer Pip Jamieson, The Dots has been a destination for a diverse crowd of working creatives since 2014. Its job board currently lists more than 100 freelance gigs based primarily in Europe. Its also started new chat thread called Coronavirus support, which is filled with advice and moral support for those who have lost jobs or work.

The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE) has put together a comprehensive guide for UK-based freelancers worried about the impact Covid-19 will have on their income. This includes links to special HMRC helplines and broad advice on dealing with clients.

In the US, the Freelancers Union has produced a raft of useful guides on everything from health insurance to non-payment (you just need to register). Rafael Espinal, the president and executive director of Freelancers Union, has also published the letter he sent to New Yorks Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio demanding that any and all financial safety nets that are implemented in this moment of economic crisis must include freelancers.

Marguerite, a club for women who work in the visual arts, has started a seeking work jobs board and is encouraging creatives to think about the diversity of their skillset. Its an easy sell-in for employers who can scroll through the list and pull out freelancers contact details straight from their posts.

Work Notes is doing a similar open call for freelancer pitches on this Twitter thread.

Industry app Fishbowl can feel like the high school cafeteria at the worst of times, but the Freelancers pool is currently highlighting how helpful an anonymized forum can be. Handy posts from the last week cover filing for US unemployment benefits with a freelancer status and advice for budgeting in a dry spell of work.

A collective of freelance artists has created an aggregated list of free resources, opportunities and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines across the US. Its a mix of official advice, guidance and topical articles that will resonate with freelance commercial creatives too.

Another spreadsheet doing the rounds is this one called Freelancers & Community Resources, which is unlikely to get you a job but is full of creative inspiration such as a big Google drive folder of zines called Quaranzines and printable coloring-in pages.

Facebooks push into Groups is coming to the fore with a raft of communities set up to offer support, tips and job leads. One is Anti-viral work for freelancers and small businesses, which has grown to more than 11,000 members in the space of the week.

Another is The Garden a private group for members of We Are Rosie. Kiana Pirouz, head of marketing at the network, explained: The group will be a call and response of what the community needs and how we can be of service beyond our ability to connect to jobs, whether that's Zoom lunch breaks, sharing work, meditations, etc.

The Professional Freelancer, Anna Codrea-Rados weekly newsletter, may be angled at freelance journalists, but it still features lots of useful advice and opinions on the world of contracted work. Similarly, Sian Meades-Williams Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter regularly includes copywriting and branded content work, and the jobs featured are often exclusive to subscribers, too.

Are you hiring for any roles during the outbreak? Email Katie Deighton with the details

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A freelancer's guide to the coronavirus downturn: jobs, resources and support networks - The Drum

If marketers want to keep up with technology, a commitment to continuous learning must be part of their 2020 professional development plans. As remote working is increasingly becoming our new normal given the current state of the world, it also becomes increasingly clear how unprepared our current marketing workforce is for a digitally-fuelled future of work.

Over the last 10 years, digital marketing spend has surpassed traditional advertising and is now forecasted to reach $146 billion by 2023. At the same time, weve seen the demand for digital skills skyrocket, with digital roles in the media space growing 30% faster than other functions from 2011 to 2016.

Whats more, employees with digital marketing skills earned close to $7,000 more in annual salary than other marketing positions, partially because these digitally-focused roles took 16% longer to fill as qualified talent is hard to find. Ad spending, meanwhile, is increasing, as are media layoffs, and with a looming recession, we anticipate the marketing and communications sector to be hit hard.

The good news is that upskilling through targeted digital skills training has emerged as an easy, accessible solution to chip away at the growing gap between todays workforce and the digital skills needed. So for all those remote workers looking to skill up and increase their digital savvy, here are the top digital skills you should be prioritizing as a resume-boosting, recession-proofing professional development strategy for the year ahead.

1.Social Media Marketing

There are now3.196 billion global social media users and that number increased by almost one million every day in 2018. Facebook alone counts 22% of the worlds total population in its base of users (and 68% of U.S. adults). If that doesnt illustrate the power of social media, consider this: YouTubereaches more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the US

Theres clear value for marketers to learn how to build a social media marketing campaign, create engaging posts, evaluate and optimize campaign performance, and develop a social media strategy.

2. Google Analytics

Close to 90% of marketers use Google Analytics to measure campaign performance, as the ability to make data-driven decisions is now essential to optimize ROI and efficiency.

A true mastery of Google Analytics, however, can unlock a number of other benefits, allowing marketers to create an end-to-end analytics strategy that spans behavior tracking, data collection and insight development. They can also transform data into meaningful, detailed reports that can be understood by internal and external stakeholders.

3. Web Development

While you dont necessarily need to become a programming whiz, its worthwhile for marketing professionals to learn the basics of web development. Being familiar with HTML and CSS means you wont need to rely on a front-end developer to make simple changes to your website. It will also benefit you to learn how to inspect and break down code on websites as you research competition or search for inspiration.

4. Search Engine Optimization / Search Engine Marketing

If your company isnt positioned near the top of search results, it may as well be invisible meaning marketers benefit from having an SEO strategy to drive web traffic and improve lead generation.

Underscoring this point, studies have shown that companies spending more than $25,000 a year on marketing reported that SEO provided the best return on investment, with 66% listing SEO as an extremely high priority or very high priority going forward.

5. User Experience Design

Indeed rankedUX Designer as the fifth-most in-demand role in tech, and an Adobe study found that 87% of managers said hiring UX Designers was their organizations top priority.

You dont need to become a design expert, but its important to know how customers are interacting with your products, digital offerings and campaigns. A good marketer should know how to identify user needs, conduct user research, develop personas, and create intuitive and navigable layouts.

At its core, design thinking is about finding creative solutions to problems, which is especially beneficial for a marketing professional. Marketers would gain a lot from understanding customer empathy and learning how to formalize the ideation process to identify opportunities and solutions. Further, theParsons School of Designfound that 71% of organizations practicing design thinking noticed an improvement in their work culture on a team level.

Jason Field is the founder and CEO atBrainStation, a progressive tech school aimed at empowering working professionals, entrepreneurs and aspiring freelancers with the skills needed to solve meaningful problems with technology and the confidence needed to shape their own future. BrainStation was acquired in 2014 by Konrad Group and Jason has championed BrainStation's expansion beyond Toronto to the United States and South America.

More:
Future-proof your resume: The top 5 digital marketing skills to learn now - SmartBrief

The COVID-19 government restrictions has now progressed to ban open inspections, auctions and social distancing measures for workers, impacting all Australian property workers. PropTech platform RESO Real Estate Sales Online, is leading the way to adapt and overcome the latest restrictions by providing a digital service so agents can keep working during this challenging economic time.

The progression of COVID-19 restrictions, including a ban on open inspections and auctions and social distancing measures for workers, is impacting all Australian property workers who are now searching for new ways of doing what they have always done serve their customers.

It is hard to contemplate the extent of this crisis and all the people it is impacting and so we send our heartfelt thoughts to everyone as we all deal with the situation as best we can.

COVID-19 is first and foremost, a public health issue, with the wellbeing of Australians, and the global population, our ultimate focus and so the real estate industry needs to adjust.

And it is we are seeing agents all over the country embracing technology like RESO Real Estate Sales Online to facilitate efficient transactions anywhere and at any time, to manage their businesses.

RESO CEO Kate Chalk says the team has been working hard for a couple of years to develop and continuously update an online platform that provides exceptional customer experience outcomes for agents, buyers and sellers.

During these challenging times, we would encourage agents to test and use the technology at their disposal to keep working, Kate Chalk says.

Auctions and open inspections have been banned so an online platform like RESO, where all the information, documentation and sales process is online, transparent and able to be accessed every minute of every day from any device, ensures properties can still be bought and sold.

Real Estate Institutes and Group heads around the country have developed COVID-19 toolkits that include some technology options because the technology is there and with RESO it is free to register and be trained through online webinars or one-on-one online training sessions.

Responsive agents, like Harcourts VennMillar Principal, Stephen Venn, are adopting sensible measures like technology to sell their properties.

To facilitate customer service during this challenging COVID-19 health crisis Stephen announced RESOs technology would power his sales process and is advising his team to do the same.

We will provide the Real Estate Sales Online (RESO) offer platform to buyers to limit as much one-on-one contact as possible as we are finding this is making those wanting to put offers forward far more comfortable and the conversations are done more over the phone, Stephen Venn says.

Further to this, the provision is made for multiple offers to be ranked using RESO and I have been selling, utilising this platform for nearly two years now, with great success.

I have found RESO to be user-friendly for buyers, particularly the vast majority who are used to technology, and buyers now, more than ever, appreciate the flexibility around the opportunity to submit an offer in their own time and their own space.

The RESO team is working to help agents deliver a seamless, professional online customer experience that allows agents to stay working for as long as possible during these difficult times.

RESO allows agents to facilitate the offer, acceptance and contract process online for buyers and sellers, Kate Chalk says.

Agents who use the RESO platform can upload a property in a matter of minutes and provide buyers 24/7 access to the registration, offer and contract process.The global disruption and rapid change we are experiencing is highly challenging, but it is important to remember that it is our health, safety and welfare, and the welfare of our families, that is most important.

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Adapting to the most uncertain of times - Business2.com.au

We had 190 volunteers in two days: How U of T med students are helping health care workers with groceries and child care

Im a first-year med student at the University of Toronto, and I originally planned to spend spring break in Morocco with a friend. Needless to say, that didnt happen. Then we got an email saying that our tutorials were cancelled and our classes were moving online. Our teachers, mentors and professors are all doctors and health care workers: we realized they were going to be on the front lines for this crisis.

It was Jordynn Klein, a second-year med student, who spread the word to other med students about starting an initiative to help health care workers with things like child care, pet care, errands and grocery runs. On March 14, she put out a call on Twitter, and within an hour, there were dozens of responses from both health care providers and other med students who wanted to volunteer. My friend Daniel Lee, who had joined Jordynns effort, reached out to me because I have a background in management consulting and organizational logistics. The three of us, along with Orly Bogler, a fourth-year medical student, became the steering committee for the Toronto Student Covid-19 Response Team.

In the first two days, we had 190 responses from volunteers. I was responsible for appointing and training coordinators who would each oversee a group of up to 15 volunteers. Each volunteer goes through extensive safety checks, reviewing potential symptoms, risk factors and exposure history. They cant volunteer if they share a living space or work with high-risk populations like seniors or immunocompromised people. They cant participate if theyve travelled out of the country in the last 14 days. And our volunteer coordinators check in with them every few days to make sure they dont have any new risk factors.

Because of daycare and school closures, child care quickly became the most popular request, comprising 95 per cent of the volunteer work. In a lot of families who need help, both partners are health care providers. It can be hard because theyre working high-intensity jobs and scrambling to find last-minute support. Yenah Seo, a second-year med student, is helping out an infectious-disease doctor and a lab technician, taking care of their two-year-old son. Apparently, by the morning of the second day, the son was already asking when Yenah would be back. Hira Raheel, a second-year medical student, is caring for two boys, aged two and fourtheir dad is an intensive care physician and their mom is an ER doctor. Hira reads the boys favourite books with them and does some educational activities as well.

Because the demand for child care was so high, we expanded our scope of volunteers to include med students as well as nursing students, other health profession students and early-childhood educators and teachers. We now have over 200 health care providers and 400 volunteers signed up. Our volunteers put in hundreds of hours in the first week. They also help with errands like grocery shopping if the volunteer has a car. Kaitlin Siou, a fourth-year medical student, picked up asthma medication for a health care worker who was in self-isolation since a family member was exposed to the virus. She also picked up a chocolate bar for them as a treat, and the worker wrote us a nice email expressing how grateful she was for the help and gesture. Linda Archila, a first-year med student at Queens, helped a mother who was at home caring for her three kids. The mother texted a grocery list, and Linda went to three different grocery stores to make sure she got everything.

For that first week, we were working on this from 9 a.m. to midnight every day. Jordynn barely slept. Its easier now that everythings set up. Other universities like UBC and New York University reached out to us, and weve been able to help share our organizational documents and systems. This initiative is really a pan-Canada effort now. All 17 medical schools in the country are working on projects to support health care providers.

On April 3, well reassess the risk and whether our services will still be neededthe province is hoping to open a few child care centres for essential workers in the coming weeks. We might end up mobilizing our volunteers for other programs. In a span of two weeks, I went from planning my trip to Morocco to rolling out this giant project. Its not how I imagined spending my spring break, but its been empowering to know that even if I couldnt help in a clinic, I could still do something meaningful.

As told to Andrea Yu

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We had 190 volunteers in two days: How U of T med students are helping health care workers with groceries and child care - Toronto Life